Finding God in all things and in all places – In particular, in South America

How you can help with just $10

For three months, I have been working in Asuncion as a volunteer, and have had the privilege of listening to the stories of people who have been displaced by the floods.

Now, although I am living in Santa Maria in Missions, I have regular contact with the people there and their needs.

Paraguayans are extremely resilient, and have managed to find ways of making the best of an extraordinarily difficult situation. My aim is to do something small to make life a little easier for them, by adding some colour, hope, prayer and practical assistance to these barrios where they live.

We have started a small project called Planting-smiles.org where we are trying to make the temporary housing where they live a place of hope, and we have started by painting a large mural on three walls in Barrio San Miguel. We hope to continue this work, but, more importantly, respond in some way to the very basic human needs of sanitation, food and living costs.

Many of you have asked me for information about how you can donate a small amount to help in Paraguay’s floods. A little goes a long way, so I have developed a site which will accept donations that will go directly to projects on the ground, and to organisations that are directing funds appropriately. The organisation “Tapery” Paraguay is a partnership of Ignatian organisations which has been working in banados Norte and Sur, where the majority of misplaced people come from.

Most of the funds raised from this site will be directed through “Tapery“, or to situations which present themselves as urgent.

Planting-smiles.org is a website in English that explains in simple language the situation in Paraguay, and which has a quick “donate now” button that you can use with PayPal.

Below is a video of the barrios of Asuncion explaining the situation and how just a small donation of $10 can help.

Another way you can help is by purchasing my CD from iTunes. I have run out of hard copies (which is a nice problem to have) and the funds raised from that CD were used to support Nelsi Ojeda (click here for her story) to get a life saving operation, and various other projects in Asuncion, Paraguay over recent months. All money raised from the sale of the CD (currently going for $10.14 on iTunes) will continue to be directed to these projects.